Two decades after Noah’s Arc first made history as the first television series centering Black gay men, the cast reunited in Hollywood for the world premiere of Noah’s Arc: The Movie.
The celebration took over The London West Hollywood, where creator Patrik-Ian Polk and original stars Darryl Stephens, Jensen Atwood, Rodney Chester, Christian Vincent, and Wilson Cruz hit the carpet with joy, pride, and gratitude for the legacy they helped build.
“This is doctorate or grad school or something,” Polk joked about the show’s evolution. “It feels great. I’m just so happy that the fans have stuck with us. It’s because of them.” Reflecting on the cultural moment the film is arriving in, he added, “Life is hard right now, but life has always been hard… and we’re going to come out stronger. I’m just happy that Noah’s Arc is back to delight the fans all over again.”
For Stephens, returning to the role of Noah felt deeply personal. “It’s a love letter to the fans who have been here for 20 years,” he said.
But he also admitted that stepping back into the character wasn’t without pressure. “When we started this show, I was just kind of getting my feet wet,” he recalled. “The pressure for me was to take all that I had learned and work all that into this character… in a way that felt organic and not forced.”
Fans can expect a bigger, bolder experience this time around. “There’s a broadness to this show that for me is like, ‘Oh my God, are we really doing it this big?’” Stephens laughed. “You’ll see at the end of the movie, I’m screaming. That’s not hyperbole. I am screaming.”
Chester, who returns as the vivacious Alex Kirby, kept it real on the carpet about what is missing in Hollywood when it comes to black queer storytelling. “A lot, but I can say being the first that we are has changed the dynamics of the game, and I think this movement here, like they’re saying online, this is a movement.”
Vincent, who plays the ever-flirtatious Ricky, shared his thoughts about originally playing the character. “When I got the part of Ricky, it was a little scary,” Vincent said. “Honestly, because he was so liberated and really didn’t care. But also, I think in playing him, it was liberating, and I learned from him. I think, you know, we need to have all different types of representation examples on honest representations, truthful representations.”
Cruz, who portrays Junito, reminded us why the show has always mattered. “Specifically in terms of like my character, who is an HIV-positive man, who is a doctor who works in that field and takes care of his community. Literally, the education around HIV has grown. The stigma, I feel, has lessened.”
And these types of conversations were always Polk’s intent, and he’s moving forward with the evolution of the characters. “I wanted to look at who these men would be 15 years later. Gay Black men as we age—raising families, dealing with loss, loving harder,” he explained. “The next chapter of life deserves just as much attention.”
More than a nostalgia trip, Noah’s Arc: The Movie is about the evolution of the characters, the cast, and the culture. And it’s a story that still feels radical in 2025.
“It’s beautiful, and it needs to be seen more and more,” Polk said about Black queer love. “One of the things—I love seeing all kinds of gay stories on TV—but 99% of the time, when a Black gay character pops up, they never have a Black partner. Ever.”
Polk made it clear: “We need to see Black gay love reflected more. We just don’t see it enough.”
The upcoming movie also brought out a vibrant mix of new and returning faces, including stars like Kennedy Davenport, TC Carson, Mariyea, Jonathan Julian White, and Gregory Keith.
Noah’s Arc: The Movie hits Paramount+ on June 20, with both original seasons and Jumping the Broom also available to stream.
Check out the full red carpet interviews on our TikTok.
